The Return to Innocence
by MushrooomsPTook
Summary: Five long years have passed since Alayna's adventures to Middle-earth, when an unexpected visitor shows up on her doorstep, inviting her on another adventure. But the journey will be long and painful, and not to mention dangerous. Her decision will ultimately seal the fate of not only Middle-earth, but her entire existence. Sequel to RTME (do not read if in a hurry to get to ME).
1. A Family Affair

A/N – This is a sequel to The Road to Middle-earth. If you haven't read that first, I would highly suggest checking it out! For those who have already read it, this is a **warning** that this story is considerably darker than RTME, and I imagine there will be people who will hate what I do to it. But this focuses on the problem of evil and the consequences for those who choose to follow that path. But it does contain the other side to that, which is hope. :) So if you're up for a bold and angsty road, then please do read on, and don't forget to R&R!

A/N – ::takes deep breath:: Okay, and now onto the bad news: I should probably clarify why Sauron is in the list of characters mentioned for this story. While you shouldn't expect to see his physical character in this, his spirit will be very much active. That said, he's most likely the only LOTR character that will make an appearance in this story, other than the occasional flashbacks (hang on, don't hit the back button yet!). However, I think I neglected to mention that this story is only the second installment of a planned trilogy. Anyway, this is just what I have planned as of right now, and my reasons for doing this will be apparent later on. Things may and probably will change.

A/N – Like RTME, there are some scenes that I find to be more attractive with certain selections of music. They will be provided in the footnotes if you feel so inclined to listen to them.

Whew! Okay, I think that's enough Author's Notes. In Bilbo's words, I think we're quite ready for another adventure... ;)

* * *

The Return to Innocence

A fanfiction by MushrooomsPTook

Disclaimer: I own nothing. You might as well say it owns me!

A Family Affair

"A happy family is but an earlier heaven." -Bowring

She was supposed to be asleep. In fact, she told her mother that she would go to bed right after she finished her homework, and she did for a time. But she was also a teenager, and while high school demanded an early start each day, sleep just wasn't welcome at this hour. It wasn't the fact that her Algebra test was tomorrow, nor that she was supposed to have read the first chapter of Wuthering Heights. If she was honest with herself, she would realize that the insomnia had nothing to do with school at all. But she had managed to convince herself that it was quite possible she had eaten too much pizza for dinner and she would feel the effects tomorrow in gym.

The teenager sighed in bed while gazing up at the ceiling. She could feel a bubble rising within her, and her cheeks had become fiery hot. She felt her forehead with the back of her hand. Normally, she would have sworn that she had a fever, but this was not the case. She reached behind her, tucking a hand beneath her pillow. Her fingers played with the pages of the book in a loving manner, and the bubble burst out of her with a squeal. She squeezed her eyes shut and allowed a shiver of excitement to run down the spine of her back.

The girl suddenly rolled onto her stomach and reached for her lamp, and with one swift move, pulled the book out and stared at it longingly. _To think_, she thought, _they are making it into a movie!_ Her eyes lingered a second longer at the cover before planting a fierce kiss on the lettering. She laid her head against it and sighed adoringly like a little girl with a big crush.

"I wonder who will play Frodo," she whispered. Her eyes widened. "And Gollum! Oh my gosh!" With a muffled scream, the girl plunged her face into the plushy pillow and giggled excitedly.

She gasped when she heard footsteps approaching and quickly turned out the light before plummeting into the bed, back faced to the door.

"Alayna?" came her mother's voice. "Alayna, are you awake?"

The girl's lips were sealed tightly, as her eyes flickered from side to side, nervously waiting for the chance when she could breathe again. But it was luck that saved her, for she suddenly heard the familiar sound of her dad's car pulling up in the driveway. Her joy increased as she heard the car door open and close. Unlike her mother, her dad understood. He had practically raised her in Middle-earth, and was the person who told her the news about the movies. "And if you like," he had told her, "I'll buy us a couple of tickets for Christmas!" How that delighted her and she promised she would make him proud during her first year of high school.

The front door opened, and she heard her father's footsteps enter the home. Her mother made an impatient sigh upon his entry. "Jack, where have you been? Do you realize it's nearly one in the morning?"

"I'm sorry, hun," he replied. "I guess I just lost track of the time. You know how the guys are."

"Don't lie to me. I already know you never went with them to that movie—"

"What are you talking about?" he said defensively. "I told you I'd probably be back late."

Another sigh came as both pairs of footsteps went into the kitchen, where the refrigerator door was opened. A couple of clinks, and it closed again. The pop of a can and the sound of fizz followed. "Jack, drinking won't solve anything. You're running out of excuses and I'm running out of patience."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you need to get your act together and start thinking of your family!"

"I do! But that doesn't mean I can't go out every now and then."

"I was talking about your only daughter, Jack." There was a moment of silence. "And no, I don't expect you to be around here all the time, but I do expect you to be a father."

"Excuse me?! Well, perhaps maybe you should take a look at yourself since we're on the subject. When was the last time you did anything with her? Took her shopping? Buy her new clothes!"

"_I can't buy her anything at the time being, Jack! You've wasted all our money!"_

"I have NOT!"

The loud noise of paper being waved into the air made Alayna cringe. "I have statements here that tell me you've spent over $3,000 of our savings at the casino within the last month! How do you explain that?"

The can slammed against the counter. "So you're spying on me now? Is that it?"

"WAKE UP, JACK, OR YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE YOUR FAMILY!"

The sound of something banged against Alayna's door, prompting her to sit up suddenly and eyes water. Although the fighting wasn't particular new to her, the intensity had risen to the point where she was now beginning to understand why her mom was always upset with her dad. But Alayna thought he was a good father to her. Sure, he had his faults. But he did love her... Didn't he?

"I'll be back..." he grumbled, stomping off towards the direction of the door.

"So that's it then? You're just going to walk away like a coward?"

The front door slammed and something fell from the wall, crashing as it hit the floor. Alayna slowly laid back down on the bed, gazing up again at the ceiling. She pulled her covers up around her as she listened as her father squealed away in his car. Next came the tears as she clutched the only comforting thing closest to her, a book by J.R.R. Tolkien.

* * *

_16 years later..._

I tapped my knees impatiently, and watched the clock tick the seconds away in silence. It was only a minute after three, but still, I couldn't shake off the thought that _she was late_. I pulled out my phone and tried to distract myself by playing Candy Crush, but the limited amount of moves only increased my anxiety, so I ended up stuffing my phone back in my purse.

I sighed and sank into my chair, biting my lip, and doing my best to ignore the clock. But thirty seconds later, my eyes slowly lifted to see the second hand gazing back at me, taunting me as it ticked by steadily. I pulled out my phone again and thought I'd find comfort in checking the time on the screen. But it was two minutes faster and I lifted my right hand, biting my fingernails as I leaned over to peer down the hallway.

A door opened and I sat up to the edge of my chair, dropping my hand in preparation to gather my book and purse. But the appearance of a man carrying an empty coffee mug sent me slumping in my chair again in disappointment. "It's okay," I told myself. "My flight's at eight. I've got time." But time for what? Give my neighbor my keys to my mailbox? Water my plant? Gather all my medications? I hadn't even packed yet! And of course, I'd want to leave early. Every hour was rush hour traffic in Chicago, so I'd have to leave earlier than early.

I glanced up at the clock again. Another minute had passed and there was no sign of Dr. Cogsberry. I got up from my chair and approached the front window, clearing my throat. "Excuse me?"

A big African-American woman lifted her eyes, and when she saw it was me, I caught a hint of an irritated glare behind her glasses. "What now?"

"Um, I noticed that it's four minutes after three."

The lady turned in her chair to look up at the clock behind her. "What you talking—It's only two minutes after three."

"Yeah, well... My phone shows four minutes after three and—" I cringed when she lowered her head slightly, peering at me through eyes that could throw daggers. "I was just wondering if you could see if Dr. Cogsberry is ready to see me now."

"_Again ?_ Girl, you got some issues if you can't sit still for five minutes. I got better things to do than mess around with this." With a heavy sigh, she picked up the phone and dialed a number. "Yeah, Doctor, this is Shanice..._again_. Look, when you g'na come get this girl off my hands, huh? Yeah, but you said that last time, girl, and she up here again. So give me a answer that keep her from comin' up here, 'cos I ain't doin' this no more!" I began to say something but she put her finger in her free ear while pressing the other against the phone in earnest. "Uh-huh... uh-huh... Fine. I'll tell her." She hung up the phone and looked crossly at me. "Give her two more minutes and she'll be right out." I stared at her for a moment too long and she said, "Anything _else_?"

I said nothing in response but went back to my seat. Already another minute had passed, so would that make it 3:05, or according to my phone, 3:07 when she came for me? Technically, it shouldn't matter either way; I didn't really belong here. A normal person didn't need counseling, but because the school I worked for ordered it, I had to comply.

I had been a full-time tutor for Collins High School for the last four years, but because, according to them, my mental health was unstable, I had been put on a sort of "psychiatric leave", and had to meet certain conditions before returning. But they were wrong, so wrong I laughed in their faces when they gave me the news. Sure, I'd had a few severe headaches here and there, and some nausea—and I did black out a couple of times (I would give them that)—but this "delirious mentality" the Principal had confronted me about, come on now, really? I had no idea where he got that, except out of his back pocket just as an excuse to get me out of there. I knew he never liked me, but I was okay with that. I was used to it now. Of course, I'm sure more sleep would have helped the situation, but as it was, I was lucky to get four hours a night.

I held my breath when I looked up at the clock again: She had one more minute, or I would have to go up to the window again, whether Shan...Shantel? Well, whether she liked it or not. I sighed and clutched the ring around my neck, a nervous habit I had developed when I got the news of my father's illness. I had put it back in my Lord of the Rings Monopoly set soon after Alice and I returned from our adventures to Middle-earth five years ago. But after waiting by the tunnel for two years with no promise of returning to the magical land, I dusted the game off, and put the ring on a chain, at least to carry a part of the adventures with me, even if it _wasn't _the real thing.

It had been one of the closest things to me these last three years, since Alice had moved with her parents. James was given another opportunity that would better suit their needs, and although I was very sad to see my cousins go, there was nothing I could do to prevent it. Alice was nine years old when she left and I hadn't seen her since.

Then there was my mom. I sighed inwardly at the thought of flying to Colorado. But it wasn't really the flight as much as it was the arrival. She had remarried two years ago, and the guy was a complete jerk, at least to me. I only met him last year when I finally opened up to my mom about the wonderful adventures I'd had with Alice. He overheard and told me it was inappropriate for a twenty-nine-year old to play make-believe. What made it worse is that his fifteen-year old son was standing right next to him and he laughed in my face, and said he couldn't wait to tell all his friends that he had a freak for a step-sister. My mom condoned this, thankfully, but said nothing else other than that she supported the school's decision that I should receive counseling.

So really, the only person I had to confide in now was my father, who I had miraculously been reunited with after ten long years. It was difficult at first; there were so many things we had to catch up on and our first parting ended with a wave. The second meeting ended with an awkward hug, and the third ended with many tears, apologies, and a good dosage of forgiveness that prompted us to make an impulsive decision to go to a movie together. Afterward, we had a cup of coffee, ate dinner, and then shared some of the deeper, emotional issues we had both endured. I learned he had remarried, but it only lasted for two years when his ex-wife had moved out unexpectedly during the night. He had also stopped gambling and had cleaned up his life, getting a very well-paying job that was coincidentally also located in Colorado. Although, he never spoke to my mom, he said a day hadn't gone by when he didn't think of me.

This brought about a new question I'd been meaning to ask him, and while my eyes fixed on the slice of banana bread that I pieced apart in my hands, my voiced dropped into a tone of sadness. "Why didn't you ever call or write?"

I stopped picking at the bread when his hand came to rest on mine. I looked up and was surprised to see tears in his eyes. "That's a topic for another day, Precious."

Yes, I had my dad now, and had spent four glorious years with him. We would call each other every Sunday evening, write letters, and then we would make special visits to see one another, which numbered around three to four times a year. My dad even sat with me when I told him about my adventures to Middle-earth. He listened and leaned in eagerly, nodding at the high points, frowning at the low ones, at one point cupping a hand to my cheek when I mentioned that I'd almost lost Alice.

But when I mentioned Aslan, he gave me a curious look, and nodded knowingly. I in turn became curious at his reaction, but before I could ask about it, he prompted me to continue with my story. He was very pleased indeed and suggested that I write a book about it.

Alice was gone, but the empty void had been filled and these were bittersweet years for me, for even my dad, too, would leave me, and I would be alone once again. One Sunday, I received no call, and when I dialed his number, only the voice message greeted me by telling me the mailbox was full. No letter came that week, nor the week after, and though I knew my dad wasn't thrilled about email, I checked mine anyway. The only two messages I had were a facebook request, and a message about how to increase my stamina.

Then a week later, I got a phone call from my mother of all people. That's how I found out. And that's how I got this phone now, after dropping my old one out of shock from the news I'd received. I didn't even hear her voice calling my name on the other end. I left my apartment and found myself sitting by the tunnel that stood along the ditch in the park.

I shook the fogginess off as I realized I had been daydreaming. I immediately sat up and glimpsed at the clock. It had been way more than one minute, and one minute too far. Just as I stood up, a door opened. I peeked around the corner, trying not to be too nosy, and saw Maleficent Eahart sobbing into a tissue while being gently but quickly led down the hallway by Dr. Cogsberry.

"I know, I know it's hard," said the doctor.

"But it's Fluffy," she crooned. "I don't know what I'm going to do without him! He's m-my only child."

"But he'll only be at the vet for two days, right? Just think of how much cleaning you can do while he's gone."

This caused the woman to weep even louder and she only stopped for a moment to sneer in my direction. "_You!_" she hissed. "When will you ever stop being so selfish! Other people have problems, you know." Then she sniffed, wiped her eyes, and stuffed the tissue in my hand before walking to the window to schedule her next appointment. I quickly tossed the soiled tissue in the wastebasket next to the coffee table before wiping my hand profusely on my jeans.

"Alayna," sighed Dr. Cogsberry. "I'm sorry I'm late. I hear you have some sort of emergency? Why don't we go talk about it?"

"I didn't schedule a session; I only wanted to meet you to let you know I'm leaving and I don't know how long I'll be gone."

Dr. Cogsberry smiled and tipped her head down the hallway. "Come on, dear. I just want to talk for a few minutes. I won't even charge you this time."

I sighed reluctantly. "Okay, but I can't stay long."

As I followed the counselor, I overheard Maleficent muttering, "Impetuous child! Shanice, you've got to stop her from interrupting my sessions!"

"Girl, I wichyou! Trust me, she been drivin' me up the wall."

I opened my mouth to say something, but thought better of it and quickly caught up with the doctor, keeping my head low. Once inside, she closed the door and gestured to the sofa that I normally took. "Sit."

"I'd rather stand, thanks." I looked around briefly; she had done some redecorating, and from the looks of it, by Maleficent. She had a whole list of problems, numbering from Paranoia to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. She was the one who needed to be here, not me. But I was ordered by the school to show up for my sessions, and if I left without first talking to the therapist, then people would start asking questions.

"Coffee?" she offered, as she sat down and lifted a mug to her lips. I shook my head. The truth is, Dr. Cogsberry was all right for a doctor, but I never enjoyed our sessions. They were hollow. When I wanted to talk about things related to my family, we would for a time, but they would normally circle around into a discussion about my mental health. "So what's going on?"

"My father," I said briefly.

"Is he still sick?"

I nodded. "They don't expect him to..." I bit my lip. The worse place to cry was in a session with your counselor, and since my first session, I learned never to make that mistake again. "They suspect this is his last week."

"Oh." She set her mug down. "Alayna, I'm so sorry. Really, I am." _Yeah, I'm sure you say that to all your patients,_ I thought. "I know how close you and your father have become." _No, you don't. You don't know me._

"Yeah." I cuffed a palm up to my eye, catching a tear before it could take on its full form.

"And they never found out what it was?"

I shook my head. "They thought it might have something to do with Alzheimer's, but I just talked to him last week and..." I cut myself off, blinking rapidly, and breathed in deeply. "Anyway, all I came by is to say I'm not sure how long I'll be."

She nodded. "Understandable. So you're going to Colorado?"

"Yeah. I'll be staying with my mom."

"And step-dad?"

"No, my mom. That man has no part in my life."

She nodded again, this time taking her eyes off mine and tapping her mug thoughtfully. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She took another sip of her coffee and then set it down. My brows furrowed together when I felt a light pulsing on the front part of my head. I rubbed it quickly, but Dr. Cogsberry's eyes lingered on me for a moment before she scratched her chin. "Are you still getting your headaches?" I nodded. "You're taking your medication?"

I sighed. "It's not working, I—" I looked away. I didn't want to talk about this now. I knew what was coming, but somehow, the words came naturally. "It makes them worse."

"Well, how much sleep have you been getting?"

I chuckled. "Same, of course."

She watched me for a moment. "Are you still sleeping in trees?" I rolled my eyes. "Alayna, we've talked about this. You've got to try at least one night's sleep in your own bed. I know..." She took a deep breath. "I know you say it brings you closer to..." _Say it,_ I thought. _Say it! You know you hate it, __but say it anyway. Show me how much you hate it._ "...Middle-earth, but really, Alayna. It's been, what, five years? Sooner or later, you have to wake up and realize it was all a dream."

"But to wake up, that would mean I'd have to have been asleep, right?" I smirked when I saw her flinch. "So really, it wasn't a dream, and you just contradicted yourself. Besides, I can't sleep in my own bed now, even if I wanted to."

"And why's that?"

I shrugged. "I sold it."

"You sold—_what! _Why?"

"It was in the way, I needed the space...and...well, I hadn't slept in it in so long, I figured someone else might as well take it."

"Alayna," said Dr. Cogsberry firmly. "This isn't a joke. You're not getting any healthier without any sleep. I imagine you'll realize what a foolish mistake you made once you return from Colorado, but what's done for now is done. But, please listen. This trip is a good chance for you to start fresh. You'll be with family, you'll be away from here. You'll have a chance to get some well-deserved rest, and even...I don't know...bond with your step-dad."

I glared. "It will be a very cold day in hell when that happens."

She shook her head. "Alayna, what has calloused your heart so much that you hold so much anger?" To my own surprise, I stood there like a fool, lips parted, as I tried to come up with an answer. And suddenly, against my will, I wanted to answer her. But I couldn't. I wasn't ready, for first I needed to desire the answer for myself.

I shrugged and shook my head. "I've got to go."

"Alayna, please, let's talk—"

I opened her door and took out my keys before looking back at her. "I'll set up an appointment when I get back."

* * *

A/N – Well...what do you think? Is it what you expected, or less? I had this chapter pretty much written the day after putting up the last chapter of RTME. Trust me, it was so hard not to post it right away, but I wanted to put some space in between the two stories, mainly to wet your appetites (did it work?), but also so that it felt like some time had passed. So, let me know your thoughts!

P.S. I am _not_ a shrink. If you suffer from the same problems as Alayna, do not by any means refer to this chapter for advice, but seek a real and _better _doctor, therapist, NP, etc. Thank you. :)

Next chapter: Alayna's flight and arrival to CO.


	2. Flight 2753

The Return to Innocence

A fanfiction by MushrooomsPTook

Disclaimer: I own nothing. You might as well say it owns me!

Flight 2753

"The same refinement which brings us new pleasures, exposes us to new pains." -Bulwer

I sat in the chair at my gate, waiting for my flight to be called. I had been angry for a good while, but calmed down when I pulled out my book and started reading where I'd left off. It took me nearly two hours to make it to the airport, and I was so flummoxed that I wouldn't make my flight when I got held up in the security line, that I was nearly crying as I ran from one end of the airport to the other. But upon making it to the gate, out of breath, and nauseous from the running, I discovered that my flight had been delayed for another hour. I stomped off to find a seat farthest from the crowd, and practically squashed the chair in my rage. The other travelers looked at me warily, but I ignored their gazes as I began to finger the ring in an attempt to calm myself.

I flipped the page and out of the corner of my eye, saw someone take the seat next to me. I gritted my teeth in irritation. Out of all the available seats, why choose the one next to me? I cleared my throat, carefully adjusting myself so that way there was an inch more of space between us. I kept my eyes glued to the pages, not daring to even alert the newcomer that I was aware of his presence.

And so it went on like this for several minutes, before I caught the person leaning forward just a bit, and then retreating back into the seat. Moments later, he leaned forward again, and after several seconds, reclined into the chair. I cleared my throat again, crossing my legs, and turned the page. I was really irritated now.

"Whatch'r reading?"

I noted the peculiar accent in his voice and grimaced, for somehow I just knew he would start up a conversation, and I was in no mood for small talk. But I wasn't all that rude to not answer this one question out of courtesy. "The Return of the King."

"Ah." He tapped his fingers on his knee. I gagged when I saw they were covered in warts. "I heard it's a good book. They made it into something called a movie, didn't they?" _What the hell was this guy born in, a barn? _I said nothing, but tilted my head, making sure to keep my eyes pinned to the book, and forced a smile. "Isn't it set in a place called Middle-East?"

I set my jaw. _What a moron!_ "Middle-earth."

"Oh, my mistake. But they do sound similar."

I sighed and finally lifted my gaze, closing my book. It's then that I saw the warts did not stop at his hands, but had extended to his face, framing his yellow eyes. He smiled and I noticed that what teeth that weren't missing were brown. I wanted to hide under a rock, but now that he was staring in my eyes, I couldn't show my fear. That would be just plain silly. "E-Excuse me," I said, trying to pretend that his appearance did not affect me, "but I usually like to read my books without an outside monologue."

"Oh. That's an interesting way to read." I ignored this last comment and opened my book again. "What chapter are you on? Is it good?"

I snapped the book shut, furious at this point, took a moment to gather my belongings, and left my seat. I never looked back once, but headed to the opposite end of the seating area to find a few vacant seats to choose from. I plopped my things down and sat down with a sigh. I flipped through the pages of my book, searching for the last paragraph I'd read.

"If you don't want to talk, you can just say so."

I looked up and saw that the same man had somehow managed to fill the seat next to me. I looked back at my previous chair, wondering if he had a twin and they were playing a joke on me. But no one was there. I looked back at the stranger.

"How...How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

My eyes lingered on him for a second before I shook my head. "Never mind." I returned my gaze to my book again, allowing the words to pass by without really absorbing anything.

"Attention, ladies and gentlemen," came a voice over the speaker. "We will now begin boarding Flight 2753, Chicago to Denver. Please have your tickets ready."

I stood up and gathered my laptop case and purse, praying I wouldn't be seated next to the same man on the plane. But as I handed the ticket to the agent, I turned my head and saw that he had disappeared. My eyes flickered around the crowd behind me once before returning my gaze and started down the jet bridge.

Once on board, I shuffled my way to my seat, noting that mine was next to a teenaged boy whose was next to the window. "Hi," I said cheerily. "I guess we're flying mates." He looked at me groggily, saying nothing, but redirected his gaze out the window. I went on. "C-Could you do me a favor?" He looked at me, somewhat annoyed. "Um...I have this thing where I get nauseous if I don't sit next to the window, so if you don't mind—"

"Forget it!" he snapped, and put a pair of ear buds in his ears.

I stood there for a moment, mouth twitching, and eyes slightly narrowed, and watched him. Then I yanked the ear bud out of his right ear and said, "Fine, but don't blame me if I puke all over you. I ate six chilli burritos for dinner, _and_ a tuna fish sandwich, so pray that I can make it through the flight." I held back a smirk when I saw his eyes widen slightly and he leapt out of his seat and pushed himself in the aisle so that I had room to slide in. "Thank you," I said, clearing my throat.

It was about twenty minutes before our flight took off and I gazed out the window while the flight attendant gave out instructions for our flight. Finally, as the plane took off, I gripped the armrests and held my breath as I felt my body leave the ground.

Once in the air, I looked out the window again, watching all the lights that glimmered in the Chicago night. Really, there wasn't much I could have gained from taking the window, except that I really _did_ get nauseous. It was the same if I wasn't the one driving a car. It only recently started happening within the last year, but I suppose it was all about time changing people.

While staring out the window and fingering the ring, I could see the reflection of the teenager next to me, nodding his head to the music as he read a book. I looked up when I saw the seatbelt sign go off and returned my gaze to the window. But I started suddenly, dropping my hand and gasping softly, when I saw a different reflection than I'd seen before. It was the reflection of the man who had been talking to me, and his yellow eyes were staring directly into mine. His lips distorted into a sneering smile, and I whipped around in my seat. The boy stared up at me and also turned his head, looking for what my eyes were searching for. But there was no strange man in between the seats. I directed my attention to the window again. The reflection had vanished.

For the remainder of trip, I had pulled out my laptop and began another chapter to the story I had been working on:

_'"I spy something that starts wiiiith...T!"_

_Tom sighed. "Tree."_

_"You guessed again, Tom! You're good at this game."_

_I rolled my eyes. "He didn't guess at all, Alice. You've picked that seven times in a row. Try something different now."_

_Alice poked her bottom lip out. "But I can't. There's nothing here but trees."_

_We had been walking for about an hour now and it did seem that no matter where you turned, you were surrounded by trees. Dark, tall, and ominous looking they were. They shut out most of the light, so that it felt very cold. In fact, the further we walked, the colder it seemed to become._

_"Just use your imagination, Alice," I said softly. I didn't want to alert her that I was becoming increasingly annoyed._

_For the next several minutes there was silence, and I assumed that Alice was trying very hard to think of something new to spy, or she had just given up all together. Part of me hoped that she would continue on with the game; it was the only thing I could think of to get her mind off her anxiety—well, and my own anxiety as well, though I wouldn't admit that to a kid. I bent over just a bit to see what held her tongue, but her eyes were focused on the path before us, never once swaying their gaze._

_Tom had been quiet as well, save for the moments in which he chose to guess at all the trees Alice had spied. He didn't seem to be bothered by the thought of ghosts now, and I wondered if perhaps he had made the whole thing up out of a boyish prank. But that didn't explain why I spoke cautiously or felt so alone, even with my two other companions._

_Alice sighed heavily. "Why can't we go back?" she plead, looking up at me. "I don't like it here. It's too quiet and it's spooky, too."_

_Not again._

_"Oh, don't tell me you're still on about that, are you?" I asked, my voice dropping a notch in volume. Alice nodded. "Look, I told you there are no ghosts and we've been in here for a long time. Now, have we met any so far?"_

_"No," Alice shamefully looked down._

_"Not yet anyway," Tom added._

_I grimaced at the boy. Leave it to him._

_Suddenly, there came a noise from somewhere overhead. It wasn't particularly frightening because of the familiarity, but it did startle me. Alice jumped nine feet in the air._

_"W-What was that!" she cried, and grabbed my hand with a cold one.'_

I continued to type at a rate that I could have sworn was faster than the speed of the airplane. For one thing, I found that my memory wasn't as strong as it was a year ago, and I was afraid that if I paused to recollect my journeys, the images would disappear. Sometimes, I would have to call Alice and double-check with her, for I found that her memory was sharper than mine. But these phone calls were rare and usually short, for although her parents were always courteous with me, they were less than thrilled when I talked to her for longer than twenty minutes. They, too, had received an earful from Alice shortly after relieving me of my babysitting duties five summers ago, and I received a gentle but firm warning from both James and Rachel that I wasn't to put anymore nonsense in Alice's head. Apparently, she had spoken endlessly about her adventures and it was enough that James thought better to accept the job opportunity, so that a move could provide a fresh start, where Alice would attend a private school, in which uniforms were mandatory.  
At the sound of the seatbelt alarm, I looked up briefly before putting mine on. Then I saved the document into a folder entitled, "The Road to Middle-earth", then shut down my laptop and closed my eyes for the rest of the journey.  
I glanced at my phone, reading the text message one more time just to be sure I had read it correctly the first time. "meet u in baggage area" is what it read. I around the room again. Mom was late, and it wasn't like her. She was always punctual, which meant that she probably didn't drive alone. Most likely Mitch was with her. I already decided I wasn't going to talk to Mom in front of him on this trip. I couldn't stand him, and the little he knew about me the better. Already, he and his son, Ben, knew too much.

I sat down in a chair against the wall and allowed my suitcase to lean against my knees. It was just after ten and I was extremely tired. A part of me hoped Dr. Cogsberry had been right, and that perhaps this would be a chance to actually get some proper sleep. I wasn't really feeling up to hunting down a sturdy tree to sleep in, especially while Mitch and Ben were around. Not only that, but the forecast said there would be snow all week. I should have expected this, however, as it was just mid-January.

The automatic doors opened and I leaned forward to see my mom looking around the baggage area anxiously. I stood up and was surprised to feel a slight smile warm my face. I missed Mom, more than she or I knew. But I missed the mom I'd lost when she married Mitch. Before, she was her own individual person, grounded by her morals and principles, but now, she had conformed to his way of thinking. Not entirely, mind you, but enough to make me want to slap her in the face.

"Mom!" I called, dragging my suitcase behind me.

She turned and ran toward me. "Alayna! Oh honey, I'm so sorry I'm late!" We clashed and I wrapped my arms around her tightly, squeezing my eyes, and trying to bring back memories of the woman who raised me. She chuckled. "Alayna, are you all right?"

I nodded against her shoulder. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you more," she whispered.

We broke apart and she touched a hand to my face. "You've lost a lot of weight. Are you feeling all right?"

I shrugged. "How is he?"

She gave me a sympathetic smile. "I only saw him once last week. I don't think he knew who I was, but he repeated your name the whole time I was there."

"Can we go see him?" I asked anxiously, gripping her hands.

"Hang on, Alayna. It's 11:15, I'm sure they won't let anyone see him at this time of night. But besides that..." She squeezed my hands. "...I haven't seen you in a year. Mitch hasn't seen you."

"Yeah, well, I'm not too thrilled about seeing him."

"You're his stepdaughter, and he's concerned about you. You're family to him."

"That's funny, I wish I could say the same about him."

She frowned. "Alayna, please. You don't know him like I do. Give him a fair chance."

I glared and clenched my teeth. "Why? Why should I give him a chance? You didn't give _Dad_ a fair chance!" Our eyes were locked for a long while, hers showing surprise and hurt, and mine showing anger.

She sighed and looked down. "Come on, I'll take your suitcase for you." She took the suitcase and started pulling it after her, but I couldn't piece together how to even start following.

I reached out a hand to her as the doors opened. "M-Mom...wait." She stopped and turned her head. "I'm sorry—I'm really sorry. I have no idea where that came from."

Her mouth twitched as she tried to form a smile. "Alayna, listen—"

I moaned and ran my hands over my face. "Let's just go." I took the suitcase from her as I brushed past, ignoring her protest, and we walked out of the airport.

In a few minutes, we were outside. It was snowing, not hard but enough to dust the tops of the vehicles parked outside. The truth is the snow was probably the best thing that had happened so far since I landed. Snow wasn't very common in Chicago, and although winter was cold in the city, there was just something magical about a Colorado snow that Chicago would never bring. I turned my head left and right in search of her red Corolla among the string of cars that were picking up other passengers. "Where's your car?" I turned around and saw that she was avoiding eye contact. "Mom?"

"I didn't drive."

A horn beeped and the sound echoed throughout the covered area. I turned my head toward the sound. Another impatient beep followed, this time longer. I looked once at my mom and then started walking slowly to the shiny black Ferrari. The driver door opened and a figure emerged with black long hair.

"Well, well. If it isn't Lord of the Freaks! Well, come on, hurry up!" It was Ben and he made a huffing noise before sliding back into the car.

I looked back at my mom and she smiled sheepishly at me. "Well, isn't this nice, he got his license," I said, smiling disdainfully. Another long beep came and I rolled my eyes and dragged my suitcase to the car.

My mom opened the passenger door and gestured to it. "You can have the front s—"

"No thanks," I said quickly and opened the back door, first shoving my suitcase in before taking the seat.

"About time," said the impatient teenager. I said nothing, but gripped onto the back seat when the car squealed off at an uncomfortable speed. I held my stomach as I stared out the window, hoping that I wouldn't get too sick before we got home.

"Well?" came Ben's voice as he glanced up at me through the rear-view mirror.

I sighed. "Well, what?"

"What do you think? Do you like my ride?" I shrugged. "It was a birthday present."

"It was Mitch's idea," Mom chuckled quietly.

"I'm sure it was," I muttered under my breath, returning my gaze to the window. The snow was getting heavier, and I waited for my mom to say something about Ben's speed as he cut in and out of lanes recklessly, but she too was staring out the window, although her body language told me she was tense.

"Your package arrived," she said after a while. She turned her head more so she could see me, but I only nodded in response.

"I don't get it," said Ben. "Why would you mail something to yourself? Seems kind of stupid."

"It would be to you."

"It would be to _anyone!_"

"Please don't fight," said Mom, raising her voice.

I folded my arms over my chest and leaned against the back of the seat. I caught Ben's eyes flick up at me before I turned my head and stared out the window. Nothing more was said between then and the time we got home.

* * *

"Ben, why don't you take Alayna's suitcase to her room?"

"But Miranda—"  
"Now."

The teenager sighed and pulled the suitcase after him. As he went up the stairs, I saw a figure coming down. I cringed, and shifted awkwardly.

"Alayna, how was your flight?" Mitch asked.

"Fine, I guess."

He came closer and in his hands, he held a small cardboard box that looked like someone had packaged in haste. He handed it to me. "Here's the package you sent yourself." I began to open it. "Now, listen for a second." He put a hand on my each of my shoulders and I resisted the urge to pull away. "I know this is a hard time for you right now. I just want to say if you need anything—anything at all—your mom and I are here for you. Don't be afraid to ask."

"Thanks," I said, pulling away, and I began ripping the box open.

"A knife?" said Mitch as I unsheathed the small weapon.

"My grandfather's knife. Dad gave it to me last summer." I looked at it fondly, running my thumb gently along the blade.

"Honey, what do you need a knife for?" asked Mom. "You don't really carry that around with you, do you?"

I stowed the weapon away in my back pocket before looking at her squarely. "The best advice I ever received was to be prepared for the unexpected."

"And what would that be?"

"I don't know. An unexpected journey perhaps."

I suppressed a smirk when I saw Mitch's eyes flash. I headed up the stairs to go to my room, when I heard him raise his voice behind me. "Alayna, Middle-earth isn't real. When will you accept it was just a dream?"

I turned around. "Never...because it wasn't a dream." I turned my back to him again and continued up the staircase. "Not for those who believe anyway," I added in a whisper.

* * *

Next chapter: Alayna visits her father and uncovers the beginnings of a mystery.


	3. The Riddle

The Return to Innocence

A fanfiction by MushrooomsPTook

Disclaimer: I own nothing. You might as well say it owns me!

The Riddle

"And we forgot the taste of bread, the sound of trees, the softness of the wind. We even forgot...our own name." -Gollum

"Friend or family?"  
I shot my eyes up, realizing I had been standing there halfway in a dream. My hand was gripped tightly on the chain that hung around my neck and my mouth was hanging open. I stared at the receptionist stupidly before making any response. "I—I'm sorry. What?"

"Friend or family?" she repeated slower.

I began fingering the ring while I bit my lower lip. "Both."

* * *

A nurse opened the door for me and I peered in cautiously, clutching the flowers in my sweaty palm. "He will probably be unresponsive, but you can sit with him for a few minutes," she said.

1I nodded and walked slowly into the dimly lit room before the nurse closed the door again. The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor echoed in my head as I approached the occupied hospital bed. My dad lay pale and unconscious. He had been hooked up to a ventilator and was breathing steadily. I swallowed nervously and immediately turned away to set down the vase of daisies I had brought for him. He knew they were my favorite and I arranged them neatly so that they would look fuller before setting down the get well card. A slight anger flashed in my eyes when I saw that only two other cards had been left for him, and I recognized one of them as the one I had sent him for Christmas. That had only been one month ago.

I sighed and sat down next to the bed, taking in every detail as his chest rose and fell from every breath. He looked so different from when I'd last seen him. He looked old and I could tell his illness—whatever it was—had taken a toll on his body. He had lost a great deal of weight and his hair looked thinner than I remembered. He was connected to a drip bag and I tried to ignore the needle that was taped to the back of his right hand. I blinked rapidly and took his other hand in mine. It was warm and I squeezed it in an effort to feel some kind of movement from him. But he remained unresponsive. I lifted his hand to my lips and kissed it briefly.

"Hey, Dad," I said softly. "I've missed you a lot lately. Do you remember when I was little, and you used to sit with me, and read to me when I wasn't feeling well?" I brushed a tear away quickly. "Well, I thought I'd return the favor. You remember how you suggested I write a book about my adventures to Middle-earth? Well, I'm doing it, Dad." Another tear escaped and I wiped my nose briskly with the back of my hand. "I'm calling it The Road to Middle-earth, and you know what? I'm dedicating it to you." I looked up at my dad, watching his face for any movement, but nothing came. "I wanted to print out the first few pages for you, but...Mitch...he didn't want..." I gave his hand another kiss. "I thought maybe I'd just tell you about it. You ready?" No response. "Well, once upon a time. There were two girls, whose names were Alayna and Alice. Alice was Alayna's little cousin, first cousin, once removed, to be exact, and one day, her parents asked Alayna to babysit her. That evening, after a fun game of hide-and-go-seek, Alice asked Alayna a very peculiar question. She said..."

I looked down at my hand, for suddenly, I felt a twitching movement beneath my fingers. I looked up at my dad's face and I could see his eyelashes flutter. I sat up to the edge of the chair, squeezing his hand tightly, and watched him hopefully. "Daddy?" His eyes fluttered open as he blinked several times. He turned his head slowly and looked into my eyes. I smiled and allowed several tears to stream down my face as I caressed his hand. "You're awake!"

But something was wrong. The heart monitor began beeping faster now as his eyes showed anxiety, and he pulled his hand away as his body tensed up immensely. My brows furrowed in concern when his anxiety increased to terror and he opened his mouth to scream, but only chaotic gibberish came out. He tried to get off the bed, but found that the cords were entrapping him, so he began wailing. I looked at the heart monitor; it was beeping rapidly and I tried to calm him by touching his shoulder gently. He yanked his body away and fell off the bed.

"HELP!" I screamed. "SOMEONE HELP!"

I told him it was okay, but he continued to moan, arms flailing about him protectively, as he retreated into a corner, and shielded his head. A doctor and several nurses burst in the room, and when they examined the situation, two ran to my father as the doctor began ushering me out the door.

"Wait," I said. "Please, that's my father."

"I'm sorry, I have to ask you to leave."

"But—"

The doctor forced me to look into his eyes. "He doesn't know you."

With one final shove, I was pushed out of the room and the door was closed in my face. I peered in through the window anxiously and watched as my dad was struggling against the nurses as they tried to help him to the bed. I saw the doctor prepare some kind of injection and the needle disappeared among the group of nurses, but the scream that followed was terrifying. I pressed my nose against the window, watching and waiting for the nightmare to end.

* * *

The door closed as the doctor came to stand next to me. "He's resting now. It should be another couple hours before he wakes up."

A nurse handed me a cup of coffee and I nodded my thanks to her before she left. "I don't understand," I said, staring at my father through the window. "How did this happen? I talked to him last week and he was sound of mind."

"I know." The doctor took a deep breath, glancing down at the documents in his hands. "What did he tell you, I mean when you spoke together last week?"

I removed my eyes from the glass and gazed at the floor. "He said he was doing fine and that he'd be out in time for..." I blinked rapidly, "...for my thirtieth birthday."

The doctor bit his upper lip and held the documents in front of me. "I want you to take a look at these. It's nothing short of an answer but it does give us some insight into what's going on. This is a CAT scan of your father's brain two months ago. If you compare it to someone with Alzheimer's..." He held up another page next to the first.

"They look identical," I finished.

"Which is why we suspected Alzheimer's. But then this one," he flipped a second sheet in front of the first, "was taken one month ago. And now you can see the difference. Do you see these two bulbs here?" I nodded. "That's the hippocampus. That is where memories are stored." Again the doctor flipped a third page, and this time, the image blew my mind away. "This image was taken four days ago."

"Those spots...Why are they dark? Where is the hippopot—hippoca—?"

"Hippocampus? Gone. Along with all of his memories. But here..." He tapped the sheet with his finger. "This empty space has allowed something to enter where the hippocampus should be."

"What is it?"

The doctor shrugged. "A growth of some kind."

"But..." I rubbed my forehead. "Okay, I'm confused. How did this happen? What caused it?"

The doctor took a deep breath. "These are questions that we've asked a countless number of times. We've called in neurologists, scientists, and doctors from across the country, but this is the first case that they've experienced, whatever it may be. It's like Jack Porter never existed." I glanced at the CAT scan again. "I can tell you that before the memory loss, he complained of a countless number of headaches."

I lifted my eyes. "Headaches?"

He nodded. "And nausea. Sometimes he would have hallucinations, and on rare occasions, black out."

I swallowed. "Doctor, could this be hereditary?"

"Well, with all the information we've gathered, I wouldn't be surprised if..." He trailed off as his eyes searched my face, and I cast mine to the ground quickly. "Alayna, have you experienced any of these symptoms?"

I licked my lips, lifting my eyes to lock with his. I shook my head quickly and flashed a smile. "No, of course not. It's just...I want to be prepared, just in case, you know."

The doctor kept a suspicious eye on me. "It may not be a bad idea to schedule some tests. After all, you are his daughter."

"No—that's not necessary. I'm fine." I sighed. "Let's get back to my father. What's going to happen to him?"

The doctor breathed deeply. "Well, there are two possible outcomes. Worse case scenario—the illness will claim is life."

"And the best?" I asked shakily.

"He will be in a vegetative state for the rest of his life." I cupped a hand over my mouth and turned away. "Alayna, I want you to know that I will be here to support you through whatever decision you make. We can take him off life support if you wish. It's up to you."

I bent over in an effort to regain some lost oxygen. "I can't...I can't do this right now. I have to have time."

"That's perfectly fine." There was a moment in which I could feel the doctor watching me while my eyes began flooding with tears. "There is one more thing. Last week, he asked me to give you this. He sealed it and said it was for your eyes only."

I lifted my gaze to see an envelope addressed to me in the doctor's hand. I took it cautiously and studied it, wiping the tears from my eyes and sniffing. "You said he sealed it?" The doctor nodded. "It's been opened."

"What?" The doctor leaned in to inspect the envelope for himself. Sure enough, someone had previously opened it and had failed to reseal it properly. "That's impossible, no one else has had access to it."

A male nurse suddenly came out of one of the rooms and walked briskly down the hallway toward us. "Doctor," he said urgently, "we need you in 304, it's an emergency."

"You...have yellow eyes," I observed. The nurse blinked as his eyes made contact with mine, his mouth twitching.

"Contacts," he said. I nodded slowly.

The doctor promptly put a hand on my shoulder. "We'll talk later, Alayna. Call me if you need anything." Then he broke into a run alongside the nurse, who turned his head over my shoulder once to give me one last look.

Once they had disappeared, I pulled a small piece of paper from within the envelope. The urgent scratchings bore the handwriting of my father and I read it carefully.

D_EL_AY_ A _B_LOW RE_ME_MBE_R_ A M_O_ON_

_NEXT P_O_U_R_ING I S_T_ALK T_H_E _QUEE_R'S _C_HI_L_L KISS_

_HOW _NEE_D I AM THAT DA_M_ DOES N_O_T _D_RA_IN

_T_HA_T _W_HISTLK_NI_T_ROT_TH IS MY G_A_M_E

I shook my head, baffled at the message, and allowed my eyes to wander in search of an answer. "Whistlknitrotth?"

* * *

An anxious knock was heard at the door and I turned my head slightly at the noise. "Alayna?" I ignored the voice and proceeded to stuff my sweater in the suitcase. "Alayna, can you come out to talk?" I folded up my pants and stowed them away next to the sweater. The door suddenly opened just as I closed the suitcase. My mom looked around the room once, then at the suitcase, and lastly at me. "What's going on?"

I zipped up the suitcase. "I'm going home."

Mom studied me in concern. "What? Why?"

I looked down, afraid to lock eyes with my mom. "I can't go back there. I can't face him again."

"Alayna," my mom said gently as she tried to take my hand, but I pulled it away and folded my arms defiantly. "I know it's hard, but you can't leave. Not now, not like this. Your dad still needs you."

I shook my head. "I'm a stranger to him, Mom. I want to retain the memories that I have of him, not make new ones."

She paused. "I don't want you to leave. I've missed you, you know. I was..." She sighed and looked down. "I was hoping we could talk about the possibility of moving?"

I stopped and stared at her. "Moving? What, you mean me?" She nodded. I let out a bemused laugh. "To Colorado? Come on, Mom."

"I'm serious. Look, in Chicago you're by yourself, you have no friends. You don't have a job—"

"Yes, I do," I corrected.

"You _do?_"

"Well, yes, of course! I mean...I don't have it now, but I'll get it back."

"Alayna, please be serious." I lifted my eyebrows at her. "Look, if you move here you'll at least be closer to family."

"You mean closer to _you_."

"Well, I _am _family. At least..." she watched me pensively, "I hope I am."

I sighed and rubbed my forehead. "Of course you are, Mom. You'll always be family to me. It's just...well, who's going to pay for it for one thing?"

"Mitch can help—"

"Mitch? _Ha!_ I don't know if you remember, but he just bought Ben a brand new Ferrari. I'm sure that much generosity doesn't extend to me."

Mom was silent for a moment as she considered this. "I...I have a little bit in my savings."

I let out a groan as I walked closer to her. "Mom, you shouldn't do that. I—" I stumbled as I tripped over my shoelace. As I bent over to tie it, the envelope slipped out of my jacket pocket, and the piece of paper peeked out of the opening. "You need to hang onto that money, Mom, not waste it on me." She watched as I picked up my jacket's contents before standing up again.

"Okay, if you call _that_ wasting, then I'm perfectly happy to do it."

My eyes passed over the note carelessly as I answered her. "Well, I'm not sure if you should be happy about that, but if you have to..."

The room went silent suddenly as I brought the note closer to my face, and I felt my brow crease as I studied each of the letters that were written—or placed—on the piece of paper. Mom must have been watching me, for she came closer and tried to peek over my shoulder without appearing to be rude.

"What is it?" she asked. My mouth hung open as I got ready to form an answer, but I ran my finger over each crooked letter as if looking beyond the message. "Alayna?"

"Hold on, hold on, hold on..." I said quickly. Once I was certain of my discovery, I tilted the note in her direction, but kept my eyes fixed on the message. "Look at these letters."

My mom leaned forward, squinting her eyes at the scribbling. "Delay...a blow, remember..."

"Mom, forget about what it says! Just focus on the letters."

"Okay, fine, I'm focusing on the letters...and surprisingly, they are letters. Wow, I didn't see that coming." I threw her a glance at her sarcastic remark. "Okay, fine. What about them?"

"Look at the flow."

"What are you talking about?"

I sighed and lowered the note to look at her. "When you write, you create a flow from one letter to the next. Dad and I write to each other all the time, and his letters _always_ connect in some way." I lifted the note again and jabbed my finger at it. "These letters have no flow—no connection—to them. Or, perhaps they do, but it's been broken. They're in the wrong order."

Mom shook her head. "_What?_ Wait, where did you get this and why are you so worried about 'the flow'?" She said this last part by making a quotation sign with her fingers.

"Dad gave it to me—or he gave it to the doctor, rather, and the doctorgave it to me."

"Okay, well, that explains it honey. There's no flow because, well, look at your father's condition."

I waved my finger at her. "I thought so too when I first read it, but these letters couldn't have been written like this. I spoke to Dad last week and he could speak rationally, think clearly, he even knew when my birthday was... No, when he wrote this, his mind was sound. Besides, look at the envelope. That's his handwriting." I lifted the envelope and she slowly took it, staring at my written name.

"Okay," she nodded, "I will say that is a little weird, but I don't think it's enough to get worked up over."

I lowered the note again and allowed my eyes to search the room as I thought out loud. "The doctor said Dad sealed the envelope himself, but when I received it, it had already been opened. Mom," I looked at her with wide eyes. "I think Dad learned about something serious. He knew his memory was slipping and that he would probably die, so he left me this message as a clue. But not the message as it currently is. Someone must have found out about the note and tampered with the letters."

"Alayna, wait a second," said Mom. "You're saying someone changed the message by rearranging the letters..." I nodded firmly. "Okay, no, _no_. That is ridiculous. First, why and _how_ could anyone rearrange someone's handwriting?"

I shrugged. "Computer?"

"Okay, Alayna. For argument's sake, let's say you're right. Why wouldn't they just rewrite the message, make something up? Or better yet, why wouldn't they just destroy it? Do you see now? You're creating a scenario that never happened. You do that, you know; you over complicate things, create puzzles that don't have solutions... Your dad wa—_is—_like that, too."

I went silent for a while as I suddenly became aware that perhaps my mom was right. Maybe I did over complicate things, make up scenarios. "You wish I was more like you, don't you?"

She sighed. "I wish you were more like yourself, Alayna. This girl that I've known for the past few years, it's not you. I wish we could go back to how we used to be. That's what I wish."

I looked down. "So do I, Mom." I extended my arm and squeezed her hand, and a small smile formed on her lips. "If it makes you feel any better, you're right."

"I am? About—"

"About me having to stay here. Dad was trying to tell me something." I released her hand and her smile disappeared. I threw my scarf around my neck and rushed towards the door. "I have to get back to the hospital. Someone has to know more about this message."

My mom lifted her hand urgently as she followed me to the door. "Wait, Alayna, what are you going to do? Don't do anything—"

"I'll try to be back soon." I closed the door.

* * *

Next chapter: Alayna is surprised by an unexpected visitor, and Mitch's real character comes out.

A/N – I know it's taking a while to get into this, but there are a lot of important points that have to be brought up before our adventure begins. ;) Thanks for reading.

1Soundtrack I Am Legend (James Newton Howard), "I'm Sorry"


	4. The Stranger

The Return to Innocence

A fanfiction by MushrooomsPTook

Disclaimer: I own nothing. You might as well say it owns me!

The Stranger

"Nothing, indeed, but the possession of some power can with any certainty discover what at the bottom is the true character of any man." -Burke

I woke up the next morning with a pulsing headache. I had arrived home late last night from the hospital after having little success in solving the riddle of who had rearranged the letters in my father's message to me. Upon entering the house, I found Mitch sitting in a chair, reminding me what time it was and how much I had worried my mother. He also said he thought it would be best if he or my mom drove me to the places I wished to go instead of borrowing Mom's car. "For your own security, you understand," he explained. "If you got stopped in your mom's car and they found your pockets full of knives..." He trailed off when I narrowed my eyes at him.

I didn't fall asleep until sometime after three that morning, and I would have slept longer, except the sounds coming from the kitchen were so noisy that my headache grew worse by the minute. I figured Mom was upset and had lost her cool while making breakfast.

Deciding it would be better to get up rather than wait for the noise to pass, I rolled out of bed and rubbed my eyes. I scratched my arm and yawned as I lazily opened the door to head downstairs. But as I took a step, my foot fell on something scratchy and I heard a crinkle. I bent down and lifted a note, yawning again as my eyes fell over each word.

_Alayna, went out to do some shopping. _

_Help yourself to breakfast. _

_ Love, Mom_

I looked up when I heard the sound of glass shatter and I felt something uneasy rise in my chest. I slowly crept downstairs and stretched my neck as far as I could to peer out the window that viewed the front lawn, thinking maybe Ben skipped school today. I could see the driveway, but no cars were parked there. I froze when I heard feet shuffling in the kitchen, the refrigerator door opened, and the contents inside were being moved around.

I glanced quickly around me for anything that would make an ideal weapon against a burglar. If I had my knife, I would've whipped that out first, but I had left it upstairs, along with the distant thought that nothing adventurous would happen to me this morning. I slunk myself against the wall and rested long enough to come up with a plan. I could run outside and call the police, but (I sighed), I left my phone upstairs. It could be too late by the time I got to the top and came back down, and I would need to have some sort of description of the guy.

I held my breath. It had gone silent in the kitchen, and I dreaded the possibility that the burglar knew I was just around the corner. I looked above me in desperation and bit my lip. Mitch's prized baseball bat was suspended on the wall just low enough that my fingertips could reach it if I tried. I remember last year he showed it to me and said he fought tooth and nail to get it off Ebay, shoveling out a pretty $1,000 out of his pocket for his efforts. It was signed by a hero of his, Yogi Berra, and although I knew very little about the sport, let alone the man, I figured a cracked baseball bat would be worth saving thousands of more household possessions. I extended my hand upward and stretched myself until I was on my toes. I heard the faint footsteps again as the intruder went to open a cupboard. My eyes flickered briefly in the direction of the sound and I winced as I stretched a little further, so that my index finger grazed the surface of the bat. I held my breath as I tried to slide it off the pegs, and after a few strokes, the head of the bat fell between the pegs and I opened my arms to catch it.

I allowed myself a couple of deep breaths as I shrunk back to my normal size, readying the bat in my hands. For such a noble prize, it sure was dusty, and I fought the urge to sneeze. As I neared the kitchen, I could see a shadow painting the floor that reached to the dining room table. I clenched the bat in my sweaty fists, taking shallow breaths, and inched myself around the corner.

I turned my head and saw the kitchen a disaster. Eggs were everywhere and flour dusted the cupboards. Something had broken and the shards of glass lay all over the floor, while pots and pans covered the counters. The refrigerator door was opened and a red liquid was dripping out of it. At the far end of the kitchen, I saw the back of a man, whose left arm clung to a cane, while his right arm was high over head, digging through a cupboard. I bit my lip and swiftly moved myself so that I was standing just outside the kitchen. "Don't move," I breathed, raising the bat.

Surprisingly, the man did not immediately turn around, but continued his quest as if he already knew of my presence. "Ah," he said, opening another cupboard door. "You're just in time. I was trying to looking for something edible, but I can't seem to find anything I fancy."

I blinked and stared for a moment, allowing the bat to loosen in my grip. I recognized the accent of the stranger, but didn't recognize the man himself. I licked my lips and then tightened my hold on the bat again, readying it into position. "Don't...Don't move!" I repeated.

A sigh left the man and he closed the cupboard. He raised his right hand and I grimaced when I saw the long fingernails. His sleeve fell slightly, revealing a circular tattoo on his wrist. I felt a slight vibration in the floor beneath my feet that jolted up my legs and into my arms. The bat began to tremble in my fists. At first it was barely noticeable, but then it grew so much that it was shaking my whole body. I held it out in front of me, trying to steady it, when it suddenly snapped in half.

1"You know, Miss Porter," he said turning around, "it's rather rude to attack a man while his back is turned." My mouth dropped open as his yellow eyes found mine, and I realized in terror that I was looking at the man I'd met at the airport in Chicago.

"You," I whispered. "How...how do you know my name?"

"Well, it wasn't very hard to guess. I'm assuming the box that was mailed here is from your address, is it not?"

I didn't say anything for a while, and a smile slowly spread across his face. "Who are you?"

"That seems a little inappropriate to ask, now doesn't it? We just met, and I only share those details after I've known someone for a while. But let me put it in simpler terms. I'm a friend, or an enemy, depending on how you perceive me to be."

I bit my lip as my nostrils flared. "What do you want! If it's money, you can talk to my step-dad, but I have nothing, and neither does my mom."

He laughed as he waved a hand at my comment. "I'm not interested in money. I told you I'm looking for something to eat. Now, let's consider our options. Which do you prefer?" He pointed to two cereal boxes that stood on the counter next to the stove. "Frosted mini wheats, or Cap'n Crunch? I like the picture on the second box, but that's me. What do you suggest?"

"I'll take the third option, for you to get the hell out of my mom's house!"

The man's grin widened as he waved a finger at me. "Temper, temper. You know, at first, I thought I had the wrong person, but I stand corrected. You're living up to your reputation at last. I have to say, though, five years can really change a person, and let's face it. You're no exception."

"WHO ARE YOU!" I shouted at him.

"I told you, I don't share intimate details with people I don't know."

"Well, you seem to know me well enough."

"You have yourself to thank for that." I shook my head, trying to understand what he was saying. "Or are you not the author of your own journey, The Road to Middle-earth?" He nodded to something that was tucked neatly next to the refrigerator, and my eyes widened in horror that I saw it was my laptop, and on the screen was the fourth chapter to my story. I snapped forward and yanked it off the counter. "You really should be more careful where you leave your things. And just between you and me, Middle-East does sound better than Middle-earth."

"I'm not going to ask you again. Get off my property, or I'll..."

"You'll what? Call the police? Stab me with your little knife that you left upstairs? You see, Miss Porter, I know more about you than you guess, so I'd advice you to listen to what I have to say."

I sighed. "Please just get out of my house. I don't have anything you would want."

"That, deary, remains to be seen. But if it makes you feel any better, I'm not here on my own accord."

"What does that mean?"

"I was sent here."

"Well, you can send yourself back and stay there, thank you."

"I can't. I made a deal with the person who sent me and I'm not leaving until I see that it is fulfilled."

I sighed. "Can you just tell me what you want?"

The man shrugged. "You, of course."

"Me...?"

"Tell me, Miss Porter. Have you heard of a place called Nottingham?"

My lips parted automatically and my eyes widened as the memories began flooding my mind. "Robin Hood..." I whispered.

He let out a shrill giggle of delight and I felt goosebumps form on my skin. "So you do know it, and by the looks of it, you're still in love with...him" I caught myself and swallowed. "Don't worry, she doesn't know."

My brows furrowed. "Who?"

"His fiancé. Oh—" He cupped his hand to his mouth mockingly. "Didn't you get an invitation to the wedding?" I lowered my eyes guiltily and avoided his gaze. He smiled disdainfully. "Me neither. I'm not, what would you call it, party material. Don't get me wrong, I love celebrations, especially weddings; it's just they don't love me. You see, lass, the world doesn't know how to accept people like you and me, and as you can see, we're not all that different."

I took a deep breath as I lifted my eyes again. "What do you know of Nottingham?"

The man began walking toward me, his feet stepping on the glass. "This is not about me, Miss Porter, but you. You see, the world has changed. It no longer recognizes itself from five years ago. It is fading and quickly. King Richard is all but deceased, his mind gone mad, and no one can understand why. But there is one person who might be able to solve this puzzle, and I'm looking at her."

"Me? Whatever put that thought in your head?"

"Actually it was the king. He was said to have whispered your name just before this...illness took all sanity from him."

"But what can I do? I don't understand either."

He pointed a finger at me. "Yes...you...do. You just don't know it yet."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"It has everything to do with you, and you have everything to do with it."

I shook my head. "What does that even mean?"

"Ah." The man clasped his hands on his cane. "That was only a sneak peek. After that, there's a fee." He raised a finger. "Or, you can come with me and talk to the person who sent me."

"If this is such a serious situation, why didn't he come to me himself?"

"Because _she_ can't come. I am the only one capable of entering this land." My brows furrowed. "So then...what do you say?"

I sighed and leaned against the wall, and shrugged. "Sorry, I'm not convinced. I can't help you. Please go away and don't come back."

"Not even if it meant risking your father's life?"

I looked up and flashed my eyes at the man, but he smirked. "What about my father? What do you know of him? I swear if you touch one hair on his head, I'll—"

"Relax, deary. You don't have to worry about me hurting him. But if you could find a way to save him...would you?" His eyes pinned me down and I had the uneasy feeling that he could see right through me. "I thought so."

Then quite suddenly, there was a blinding flash. I turned my head and shielded my face with my hands, but when I opened my eyes, the man was gone. All that was left was a terrifically messy kitchen and a broken baseball bat. But I stood there for several minutes, pondering the last thing he'd said.

A few minutes later, a knock came at the door, and I rushed into the living room, praying that it wasn't Mitch or Mom, but upon peeking through the peep hole, I discovered that it was neither of them. I opened the door and saw the mailman standing there with a big box.

"Miss Porter?" he asked.

"What?"

"Are you Alayna Porter?" I nodded slowly. "I have a delivery for you. Just sign here." He held out a slip and a pen and I signed my name quickly before cautiously taking the light package from him. Once I closed the door, I ripped the box open. There were a lot of packing peanuts and after a few minutes, I wondered if that was all I had signed for. But then, I pulled out a very small scroll and opened it. On it was a very short message written in calligraphy.

_If you enjoyed our conversation as much as I did,_

_Then meet me tomorrow at sundown. _

_Don't worry about the location; just follow the bread crumbs._

_ Melchior_

I narrowed my eyes as I read the small print beneath the message, "Upon...complete viewing of...this message, this scroll will self-de—" There was a _poof_ and a great deal of smoke that set off the smoke alarm, but when it cleared, there was no note.

After struggling with shutting the alarm off, I realized it would take forever to clean the mess up, and I'd have to come up with an explanation as to how Mitch's bat lay broken on the floor. I did the first thing that came to my mind. I ran upstairs and grabbed my phone, and called 9-1-1.

* * *

"Can you describe the burglar again, Ma'am?"

I nodded. I wasn't about to lie to protect Mitch's reputation as a well-respected lawyer. "He had greasy hair that fell to his shoulders, and his body was covered in warts, and he had yellow eyes."

The officer nodded while writing on a notepad. "And how hard did you hit the man?"

Mitch covered his face with his hand. "Enough to break the friggin' bat!"

I glared at him. "I said I'm sorry!" I glanced at Mom, who gave me an encouraging smile and rubbed my shoulder.

"And what happened after that?" the cop continued.

"Um...he ran away." Okay, so maybe I would tell just a little lie, but only to protect my reputation, even though I really had none.

"Which direction?"

"_I can't believe you used the bat of all things,_" Mitch muttered, but Mom threw him a glare, which he either failed to notice, or ignored completely.

"Which direction, Ma'am?" the cop repeated.

"Ah, righ—uh-um left."

The cop looked at me suspiciously while Mitch continued to breathe fire under his breath. "And there was a note?" I nodded. "Where is it now?"

"It..." I looked once at Mom. "Um...it kind of vanished." Mitch let out an obnoxious sigh.

"What do you mean it vanished? Did the man come back for it?"

I shook my head. "It vanished, it just disappeared. Right out of my hands."

The cop looked at his partner, who shrugged his shoulders, and then rubbed the bridge of his nose as he studied his notes. "Do you at least remember what it said?"

"It said..." I glanced at Mitch, who was fuming, "follow the bread crumbs."

"I told you!" cried Mitch. "She's crazy!" Then he turned to my mom. "Didn't I tell you we should have checked her into the mental hospital? Don't give me that look—you know I was right."

"Mitch, please!" she protested.

"Look, folks," said the officer, lifting his hands in an attempt to calm the boiling temperature. "Let me say something briefly. There's really no evidence of a burglary; nothing is missing—"

"Except my bat!"

"Nothing _else_ is missing," the cop reiterated cautiously. "So we'll just say this was a misunderstanding and call it good."

"That will be fine," Mom spoke up as she started following the cops towards the door. "I'm sorry you came all the way here for no reason."

"Oh," the officer chuckled, "it happens all the time." But as they passed, I saw the cops share wary glances. When they reached the door, the first cop leaned into whisper to my mom, while keeping their eyes on me. "Is she on any kind of medication?"

"Yes."

"Well, you might consider having the dosage increased."

She nodded, but said nothing in response. When they left, she closed the door, and leaned against it, sighing. "What just happened?"

"I can't believe you broke this!" said Mitch, holding the pieces of his bat. "What were you thinking?"

"I'm not the one who broke it, Mitch," I said. "Someone was really here. I thought they were trying to steal stuff. What would you expect me to do? Go up to him and give him a few suggestions on what to take?"

"You probably would," he mumbled.

I set my jaw. "You can call me crazy all you want, but I'm not a thief!"

Mom sighed again. "Listen, we can talk about this later, but right now we just need to clean this up. The last thing we need is someone to step on that glass."

"Talk?" I asked. "There's obviously nothing to talk about. Mitch has already made up his mind that I'm the one to blame here."

"You were the only one in the house."

"No, I wasn't!"

"Alayna, look," said Mom. "I'm concerned about you. We _both _are." Mitch glanced at me but then turned away, folding his arms over his chest. "Something is going on and I wish you'd open up to me."

"I don't have to open up to anyone. I'm thirty years old, so stop treating me like a child!"

Mom's nose flared. "Can you blame me, Alayna? I mean have you seriously stopped to think what has happened to you? You don't eat, you don't sleep, you complain of headaches, and you're walking around with your pockets full of knives."

"It's just one, Mom."

"It doesn't matter, something is going on. Why are you so secretive?"

I kept my mouth closed and avoided her stare.

"Leave the child alone, Miranda," sneered Mitch. "Just let her live in her fantasy world. Maybe there she can't friggin' harm anyone."

I glared at Mitch. "It's not a fantasy. Middle-earth _is_ real, and I'm going back there someday."

Mom made a noise of distress as she ran her hands down her face. "Not this again, Alayna."

I glared. "Look, just because you don't think it happened doesn't mean it didn't."

"You can't keep talking like this. This is why you don't have friends. People aren't interested in fairy tales or make-believe, they're interested in reality. Why can't you be among them?"

"Because I'm _not_, okay? I've been there, I've seen it. I had tea with hobbits, I had Yule with Bilbo, I met Gandal—"

"STOP IT!" Mom suddenly broke down into tears and slumped onto the couch as she buried her face in her hands. "Alayna, you can't keep doing this to me. I can't take anymore." I stood there, scratching my arm awkwardly, not sure whether to be full of anger or pity.

Mitch sat down next to her and put his arm around her. "I told you you should have divorced her father sooner."

I stiffened and felt my blood boil. "What did you say?"

"You heard me. He's the one who got you into all this nonsense. Can't you see what it's done to your mother? If it hadn't been for him..."

I didn't wait to hear the rest of what he had to say. I rushed at him and with a hidden strength, pulled him to his feet by his collar. "Don't you talk about my father that way! He's a better man than you'll ever be."

"Alayna!" Mom jumped to her feet and tried to pull us apart. But as she pushed against my chest, her hand fell on the chain around my neck.

I pushed her off me. "_Don't touch that!_" I clutched the ring protectively as I moved away from her.

Our eyes were locked for several moments, and she blinked several times while Mitch swiveled his head back and forth, watching us. Then she took a cautious breath, "I don't know you. If you happen to go back to Middle-earth, do me a favor. Tell my daughter to come back to me. You can stay there." She stared at me for several long moments before leaving the room.

Mitch sized me up and down with his eyes before following my mom. "What a pathetic waste."

* * *

That night I went to bed around dinner time and laid there for several long hours. For a while all I could think about was the message I'd received earlier that day, and the words 'follow the bread crumbs' echoed in my head. Then I pulled out the slip of paper from the envelope and stared at it until my headache returned.

D_EL_AY_ A _B_LOW RE_ME_MBE_R_ A M_O_ON_

_NEXT P_O_U_R_ING I S_T_ALK T_H_E _QUEE_R'S _C_HI_L_L KISS_

_HOW _NEE_D I AM THAT DA_M_ DOES N_O_T _D_RA_IN

_T_HA_T _W_HISTLK_NI_T_ROT_TH IS MY G_A_M_E

Finally, I opened The Return of the King and began reading vigorously. Having experienced too much hurt in this world the last few days, I knew I could always turn to these books for an escape. Here, I would find peace, and I even wondered at times if I ever belonged here. Perhaps, I had accidentally been born in the wrong world. It was true that I missed Bilbo and Frodo, and Gandalf. But I missed both my dad and my mom more.

At around 10 o'clock, I turned off my light and rolled over to sleep, but I could hear Mom and Mitch arguing in the next room. ("She's your friggin' daughter why don't you do something about her?" "Mitch, I've done all I can. You could at least treat her like a grown up." "That would be easier if she acted like one."), Of course, they were fighting about me, and I tried to block it out by listening to some music from my phone, but it was no use.

After a time, I gave up the prospect of any sleep at all, at least in a bed. I had tried to take Dr. Cogsberry's advice and had manage to succeed for a couple days. But tonight I would revert to my old ways. I picked up the pillow and draped the heavy comforter over my shoulder. I stuck my head out the door, looking left and right to make sure the coast was clear. Then I tiptoed down the staircase and snuck towards the front door.

"Where are you going?"

I froze and turned. Ben was sitting in the dark holding a Nintendo DS, the screen as his only light. "I...couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd watch some TV."

He laughed. "Yeah, whatever. You were going to go sleep in a tree, weren't you? Miranda said you do that all the time at home."

"Whatever I do at home is my business."

He snickered. "I heard about what you did today, how you broke my dad's bat."

I sucked on my bottom lip. "Well, I'm only sorry I wasn't able to break anything else of his."

"I'm gonna tell him you said that!"

"I certainly hope you do."

With that, I opened the front door and walked into the winter chill of night.

* * *

A/N – I'm really sorry that this chapter was so nasty; it was incredibly hard to write. But don't worry, the nice thing about broken people is that they can be mended. :)

Next chapter – Our adventure begins!

1Soundtrack Hook (John Williams) - "Smee's Plan"


	5. Breadcrumbs

The Return to Innocence

A fanfiction by MushrooomsPTook

Disclaimer: I own nothing. You might as well say it owns me!

Breadcrumbs

"There is a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them as we will." -Shakespeare

I started awake and sat up in the chair. It took me a few minutes to remember where I was and how I got here, but after seeing my dad asleep in the hospital bed, the memories came flooding back. I had slept in a tree the night before at my mom's house, but had woken early to drive to the hospital. I didn't even bother waking my mom, but had pulled her keys out of her jacket without her knowing. Of course, Mitch would be furious and would no doubt guess where I'd gone, but he wouldn't be able to do anything about it until he got off work. The doctor had informed me I could sit with my dad as long as he remained asleep. I had been with him all day now, and had only left my seat twice, both times to go to the bathroom.

I sat at the edge of the seat and reached a hand over to brush a lock of his hair from his sleeping face. I continued to watch his peaceful form for several minutes, glancing up at the heart monitor occasionally to make sure there was no trace of anxiety. After a time, I rested my head on his hand, enjoying the feeling of his warmth spreading throughout my body. I tried to put the decision that weighed on my shoulders out of my mind, but my father's breathing had become labored over the last couple of days. I wasn't sure if I was capable of even bringing myself to allow someone to pull the plug. A few tears fell from my eyes and I rubbed my face against his hand and kissed it. We had just gotten back together; it was unfair that he would be taken away from me so soon.

I lifted my head and ran my sleeve across my eyes. "What do you say, Dad? Wanna watch some TV?" I picked up the remote and pointed it up at the television that hung from the ceiling. The first image was one of a muscular woman who was leading a team of other women in an exercise routine.

"_And lift your arms, first left, and right...twist your shoulders—that's it! Aaaaand again!_"

"No, thanks," I said aloud, and changed the channel. This time, an image of The Simpsons came on the screen.

_ "I just wish you wouldn't curse in front of my boys!"  
"Oh, come on, now, Flanders! I don't complain about your mustache!"  
"What's wrong with my mustache?"  
"It makes you look like you've got something to hide."  
"What?"  
"People are talking. Lots of people."  
"Okay, mister. You've got yourself a deal. I'll shave off the soup strainer if you give the sailor talk the ol' heave-ho. Okay?"  
"Aye aye! Admiral Butthead."_

I allowed myself a giggle and glanced over at the bed, where Dad remained unresponsive. My laughter died to a bittersweet smile. "I know, I know. Not your favorite show." I flipped the channel again and watched as a pride of lionesses were circling an elephant. Its back leg had a gash and it was limping as it turned to avoid the confrontation.

_"...of weeks without food can lead to desperation. But today, they have encountered a prize. In a stunning act of teamwork, the lions assemble to take down a young elephant. She has been wounded in a different confrontation, and her family has abandoned her. The lions circle their prey with caution, __for even a weak elephant can still be dangerous, and none of the lions will risk injuries." _One of the lions growled and lunged forward, reaching out its paw to strike the animal, and then retreated when it shook its head, and wagged its trunk. Another lion attacked from behind. _"When one female runs out of momentum, another attacks with fresh strength. This allows the pride to keep their energy, while allowing exhaustion to slow the elephant." _The pachyderm whipped its trunk at one of the lions, who had climbed up its foreleg. The lion released its grip, as another clambered up its back. _"This ritual can go on for hours. But life itself can change like the wind, and this elephant will get lucky. The footage you are about to see has never before been shown until now."_ The lionesses momentarily stopped their attack and turned their attention to a new threat._ "The struggle has caught the attention of a lone male." _From out of nowhere, a huge male lion came bounding into view with a fierce growl, and began swiping his massive paws at the lionesses, who backed away from his rage. Those who tried to return the attack were quickly pounced on and received a harsh warning from the male. _"This competition is not about food, and contrary to the male's actions, he is careful not to harm any of the opposing lions."_ Once the male had claimed dominance, it sat panting in front of the elephant, who became rather calm as it slumped to the ground. The females licked their chops hungrily, while some kept their bodies low to the ground as they circled around in an attempt to perform a sneak attack. This did not go unnoticed and the male let out several snarls and fierce growls as he lunged at the advancing lionesses. _"This protective behavior from an African male is unheard of, and while most animal psychologists have suggested that the lion's brain could be suffering from a possible imbalance, there are a few who think differently. Nevertheless, the lionesses seem baffled that one of their own has taken up with the enemy. Their own supreme leader is out patrolling his territory, and without him, they are helpless. Deciding the prey is not worth any injuries, the lionesses give up the hunt, and try their luck elsewhere." _After the females had sundered off, I cocked my head, watching in interest as the lion seated himself to face the elephant, who bowed its head slightly. A close up shot revealed the lion's eyes and it was staring into the elephant's own intensely. The elephant suddenly rolled onto its side and made a mournful noise. The lion's head bent forward and his nose touched the long trunk of the elephant. After several silent moments, the elephant trumpeted as it got back on its legs effortlessly. Then the elephant bowed its head momentarily before trotting off.

"Oh my gosh!" I said out loud. "That's incredible." The lion stood up, turned and looked into the camera. I started when it began pacing forward, until its face took up all the space on the screen. I dropped my mouth open as its eyes zeroed in on mine, and I felt vulnerable. Then its mouth opened and an angry snarl came out of it, baring its teeth. It was then that I realized I had been fondling the ring, and I dropped it guiltily, while switching off the TV in a panic.

I looked around the room, rubbing my arms protectively, as I took heaving breaths in an effort to calm myself. I looked at the bed; other than the rising movement in his chest, Dad remained motionless.

"That was weird," I whispered. I looked up at the television screen cautiously and saw my reflection staring back, and for a moment I wondered if I had just seen... Oh, but it couldn't have been, not after all this time. I sighed and looked around me anxiously in an attempt to get the lion's face out of my head. "Um, I know, Dad. How about we read a little bit?" I opened The Return of the King and flipped to the back. I was almost finished with the book and thought a good read could calm myself. I glanced at my dad briefly before clearing my throat.

I began reading where I'd left off, which was near the end of the chapter, 'Many Partings'. Every now and then I lifted my eyes to get a glimpse of my dad, but he lay there as he always did. The doctor had informed me that it was good to talk to him while he remained unconscious, for perhaps in the very deep part of his brain, he still remembered my voice, but just needed time to process the information. He suggested that I talk about the things I loved, or the things we had experienced together. Well, Lord of the Rings was such a dear subject that we both kept close to our hearts, and I was curious to know if by hearing it read, he would find me at the end of it.

I went on. "To Sam he gave a little bag of gold. 'Almost the last drop of the Smaug vintage,' he said. 'May come in useful, if you think of getting married, Sam.' Sam blushed.

"'I have nothing much to give to you young fellows,' he said to Merry and Pippin, 'except good advice.' And when he had..." I flipped the page and took a breath to continue, but was startled when I discovered it blank. I turned the next page and found this one empty as well. "Okay, this is weird." I flipped through all the pages until I reached the end of the book, but every word had miraculously disappeared. I flipped back to the page I had last read; the words were still there. Well, almost all of them. The last word, 'had', was missing and the one before it was fading very quickly. A small panic rose in my chest when it disappeared, the word 'when' now following suit.

I rose from my seat urgently, and pulled out my phone. There was no signal, so I told my dad I would be back soon before rushing out the door. I kept checking my phone for a signal and when I finally reached a large window, I got a faint one. I quickly scrolled through the list of contacts in search of James' name. When I reached it, I pressed 'CALL' and lifted the phone to my ear, waiting impatiently for him to pick up on the other end.

"Come on...Come on, pick up," I whispered.

"Hi!" It was Alice's voice.

"Alice! Oh, thank God. I..."

"...my dad can't come to the phone right now because he's going to the bathroom and won't be out anytime soon. He ate something bad; Mom told him not to, but he wouldn't listen to her. Anyway, if you leave a very short message—"

_"Alice, what are you doing?"_ came a voice in the background.

"Uh-oh. Gotta go." There was a click and I waited impatiently as I listened for the beep to sound itself.

"James, listen. It's Alayna. I need someone to do something for me right away, it's an emergency. I need someone to open up The Return of the King and flip to the back. Call me back and tell me if the words are fading." I paused. "Again, this is an emergency. I promise. So please just call me back...or have Alice call me back. Okay...bye."

Once I hung up, I opened up iBooks on my phone and quickly searched for The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Once I had it pulled up, I selected the chapter I had been reading from and scrolled to the end. All the words I had read to Dad had disappeared as well, and I suddenly recalled the stranger's words to me from the day before:_ "the world has changed. It no longer recognizes itself from five years ago. It is fading and quickly..."_

The sound of a car screeching to a stop prompted me to look out the window. The first thing I noticed was that the sky had become overcast, but the next thing I saw was a very angry Mitch getting out of his car and running towards the building, Mom very close on his heels, and she seemed more concerned than angry. I tucked my phone in my back pocket and made sure my knife was concealed in the other before running toward the staircase under the exit sign. I paused briefly to gaze at my father's room longingly for a moment, before pushing open the door.

I practically flew down the staircase and when I reached the bottom, I opened the door hastily, but backed inside, allowing the door to nearly close itself. Mitch was just outside and had only pushed the button on the elevator.

"Mitch," I heard my mom say. "You need to calm down."

"Don't tell me what to do! I told her she wasn't to take your car whenever she pleased."

"But honestly, that wasn't very fair of you to do."

He threw her a look and my mom bowed her head apologetically. I clenched my jaw, but before I could do anything, the elevator door opened and the two of them stepped inside. Once they had disappeared, I pushed the door open and ran outside into the cool air. I called James again.

"Hi!" said Alice.

"Alice, is it really you or..."  
"...my dad can't come to the phone right now because..." I sighed and hung up the phone. Suddenly, a cool wind swept around me and I looked into the sky. Dark clouds had rolled in and were getting ready to unleash their fury. The flag on the building was whipping around wildly, and dust and stray trash flew into the sky. Something was coming, something unexpected. But just as quickly as it had come, it ended, and for a moment, everything had become still. But then, one by one, snowflakes began to fall.

I sighed and opened my book again; the entire paragraph had disappeared. Then something soft grazed my nose before landing on the crease in my book. I held it up between my thumb and forefinger and examined it with curiosity. I looked up into the sky and marveled as fluffy manilla-colored flakes fell onto the ground. They were not snowflakes, but breadcrumbs! I turned to look at the other people who were going in and out of the hospital; they seemed to take no notice of this wonder, and I allowed myself a suspicious smile, as the thought entered my mind that they were for me.

1I looked down at the pavement, where the breadcrumbs had bounced into an arrangement that prompted me to examine them with interest. They formed a small but unmistakable arrow. I looked once at the hospital and bit my lip, then with a determined gaze, I proceeded to walk in the direction that the arrow pointed.

As I started, the breadcrumbs began to form several arrows that eventually led into the parking lot and at one point, I was so engrossed in keeping up with them that I nearly got run over. But on and on they went until I was off the hospital grounds. I glanced up once to watch for more oncoming cars as I crossed the street, and I realized that the sun was setting.

The breadcrumbs were falling more frequently now and I noticed that as I continued to follow them, the number of them grew, and they were falling so urgently that my walk eventually turned into a run. At times, I had to stop short when the flakes would suddenly change direction, and I apologized to many people when I ran into them. Eventually, though, my contact with civilization grew thinner and nature became more dense. The number of breadcrumbs increased tenfold, nearly blinding me at times, that I would occasionally bump into a tree or trip over a bush. It was madness really; they were everywhere, in my clothes, in my hair, in my vision. Finally, the breadcrumbs began to falter, and as I made my way into a clearing, they began to circle what looked like a rabbit's hole. I lifted my gaze and saw with surprise that I had been led out of familiar surroundings. I looked down at the hole again where the breadcrumbs continue to circle.

"You've got to be kidding," I said to myself. "I can't get in there." As if the crumbs had ears, they began forming something different above the hole. I watched as this new arrangement made my eyes widen. "Eat...me...?" I picked up one of the crumbs and looked at it curiously. It was no bigger than a thumbnail, and no smaller than a pebble, fluffy and crusted with some sparkly powder that made it look very tempting. I popped the crumb in my mouth and savored the taste; its flavor resembled that of a coffee cake. But just as I swallowed, something dreadful happened and I glimpsed up at the horizon just as the sun slipped behind the trees.

* * *

Next chapter: Alayna is surprised by another unexpected meeting, only this time, it is no stranger! R&R

1Soundtrack Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Nicholas Hooper) - "Living Death"


	6. An Unexpected Reunion

The Return to Innocence

A fanfiction by MushrooomsPTook

An Unexpected Reunion

Friendship improves happiness, and abates misery, by doubling our joy, and dividing our grief. -Addison

* * *

I regretted eating the bread crumb immediately, for I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. I toppled over onto my knees, and cupped a hand over my mouth, eyes watering. Then the sickness increased into pain and I steadied my hands on the ground as I took several gasps before letting out a mournful wail. The hole in front of me began getting bigger and bigger, and when I glanced at the trees, they began to stretch in their size. The grains of dirt grew into the size of pebbles and I suddenly felt myself slipping down the hole. I clawed at the dirt frantically in an attempt to climb up again, but this only caused an avalanche of the stuff to come at me. There was nothing I could do now, as I was plunged into what had become a cave, and I rolled over several times, the dirt rushing over me. Darkness clouded my eyes.

After it had ended, I struggled to unbury myself and stuck out a hand from underneath the dirt, waving it around frantically. It was caught in the grasp of two smaller hands and I felt myself being pulled out of the pile. Finally, with the help of my savior, light returned to my eyes, and once my head was uncovered, I was able to free myself completely. I coughed and waved my hands in front of me to clear the dust from the air. But even before I had stopped sputtering and rubbing the dust out of my eyes, something bolted into me with a burst of energy, wrapping its arms around me, and knocked me to the ground.

I squeaked at the sudden impact and when the smoke had cleared, my eyes widened in surprise. "Alice?"

"Oh, Alayna! I'm so glad to see you again!"

I looked at the girl in awe. She had changed so much and yet remained as I had last seen her. She was taller now, brown hair cut shorter, and her face had matured into a lovely young lady. I stood up and looked at this new development, and examined her beaming smile, not realizing that mine was slightly bigger. I blinked several times before clasping my arms around her tightly. "I'm glad to see you, too!" She released me and I realized that she was nearly my height. "Oh my gosh, Alice! Look at you; you're all grown up. How old are you now?"

She chuckled and shrugged embarrassingly. "Twelve."

"Twelve! And to think that yesterday you were only—wait a minute. What are you doing here?"

"The same reason you're here, deary. I invited her." I looked up to see the same strange man, Melchior, limping slowly towards us with his cane. "Bravo," he said. "I'm impressed. You made it, and right on time."

I watched him suspiciously, while putting my arm around Alice's shoulders protectively. "What's going on? Why is my cousin here? If you hurt her—"

"What is it with you thinking that I'm out to harm everyone you know?" he asked. "It's rather funny. Your dear little cousin said the same thing when I mentioned your name."

I suppressed a smirk; Alice sticking up for her bigger cousin? Truly, I had no greater friend than the one who stood by my side, and I squeezed her shoulder. "I think you have some explaining to do."

"Of course, but first I would like to introduce you to the others." He gestured to an opening in the cave. "After you, please?"

I shared glances with Alice before ushering her ahead of me, making sure to keep the stranger in my line of sight. He noticed my glare as I passed and grinned deviously. We walked through a huge tunnel that led into several different openings. After we'd passed many of them, Melchior halted us and said, "In here." He pointed to the right and we walked in, first Alice and then me. There was a table built of rocks and seated at it was a young woman, roughly my age. She was muscular, clad in a green button up tunic and matching leggings. The boots she wore showed signs of wear, but were still sturdy. A thick brown belt was clasped around her waist and on her left hip was a long sword. Only her feminine features and braided auburn hair made her gender recognizable. Squatting at her feet was a fluffy, white swan that I recognized immediately as I sprang forward.

"Charming!" I reached out my arms and the swan fluttered his wings open in response, flying towards me and landing in my embrace. He butted his head against mine and I squeezed my old friend. "Oh, Charming, it's you!"

The swan chuckled. "Of course it's me, Alayna, and I am delighted to see you."

"Miss Porter," said Melchior, "you obviously know the swan well enough. But let me introduce you to our leader, Maid Marian."

"Marian?" I asked, still clutching the swan. I had only met her briefly during the last two days I had been in Nottingham, and although I began to remember her face, she had changed, but in a way that I couldn't yet distinguish.

The woman rose and looked me up and down with her green eyes. "You're late, Alayna Porter," she said. "I must say I didn't expect to see you here; the sun had just set when you made your entrance. However, I will still thank you for coming and on such short notice. I am at your service." She bowed slightly. "Shall we get started with our plans?"

"Pla—what plans?" I said, glancing between her and Melchior.

"To the well, of course. We are leaving first thing in the morning, so it is imperative that we get an early night's sleep. Melchior, please fetch me the other lantern. It's getting quite dark now and I would like us all to be able to see the map clearly—"

I shook my hands out in front of me. "Wait, wait, WAIT!" They all stopped to stare at me. "What is going on and why are we here?"

Marian looked at Melchior. "You didn't tell her?"  
Melchior held up a finger. "I thought I'd give her a taste first, and let curiosity do the rest."

"Melchior, I told you we cannot risk any secrets on this mission. Now, why didn't you do as I asked?"

"I have my reasons and I do not have to share them with you or anyone else. You may be the leader of this company, little maiden, but remember that I am your guide. Without me, you have nothing. Remember, deary, you still owe me a favor, so I'd be careful how you talk to me."

Marian's jaw was clenched tightly as she stared up at the man, and Alice and I exchanged wary glances. "Look," I sighed. "You guys can argue later. But right now, you need to tell me what this is all about."

Marian glanced at Melchior once more, still visibly upset, and then gestured to one of the stone chairs. "Won't you sit down? If you're hungry, we have some extra food."

"No, thank you."

Marian sat back down and Alice and I seated ourselves across from her, but Melchior remained standing. "First, I want to express my gratitude to both of you, for rescuing my cousin's kingdom five years ago. It is because of you that it still thrives. For four years after you left, Nottingham was strong and there was peace among our lands. We had very few enemies and found work for many of the people who had suffered during the king's absence."

"And the Galdorcarr?" I asked. "Is it still safe?"

She nodded. "For now. But everything changed about six months ago, when my cousin began to get sick."

"What kind of sick are we talking about?" I asked.

Marian sighed and bit her lip in thought. "At first, I thought it was just age. He would have lapses in his memory from time to time, and would say he saw things that weren't really there. But then I knew something was wrong when he complained of pain in his head, and how he was always sick. He stopped eating, he stopped drinking, and he rarely slept. When he did sleep, he would..." She paused, blinking rapidly.

"What?" I asked. "He would what?"

"He would have strange dreams, evil dreams. He said he'd seen an eye." I swallowed and Alice stiffened next to me.

"What did this eye look like?"

"He did not describe it to me, other than it was wreathed in fire."

Alice looked up at me in concern. "Alayna, that's Sau—"

"Quiet," I hushed her immediately. "What else?"

"Well, I knew I needed to act when I discovered that it was spreading. Whatever this thing is, it has ensnared many of our people, including the man I love most."

"Robin Hood," I sighed, and Marian nodded once before bowing her head. Melchior glanced over at me and I caught a smirk on his face before I turned back to Marian.

"Alayna," she continued. "It has gotten so bad that I no longer recognize Nottingham."

I took a deep breath and swept a hand over my face. "But...what makes you think I can do anything? I'm not built for such magical healings."

"Two things, well, three really. You saved us once. Out of all the people in the world, you were the one person to discover the Galdorcarr, and you did not take it for yourself. That commitment is uncommon. Second, my cousin sent for me before the illness drove him mad. The only word to come out of his mouth was your name, which gives me reason to believe that you can stop it."

"And what's the third?"

"Because, Miss Porter," said Melchior walking out from behind me. "It has happened before, and not in our world, but yours."

"Alayna," said Marian. "We know of your father's condition. We also know that he was the first person to begin experiencing these dreadful things, and somehow it has crossed over and is affecting everything and everyone."

"That makes you responsible to some degree," said Melchior.

I glared at both of them. "Wait, I missed the part where you tell me how you know about my father, or how it's even _your_ business to know about him! Has someone been spying on my family?"

Melchior leaned in. "Spying is a rather...harsh word. I'd rather use..." he tapped his chin. "Hmm, that's funny. I can't think of another appropriate term. I guess spying is the best word to use after all."

I clenched my jaw. "Alayna, listen," said Marian. "No one is accusing you of starting this epidemic, nor do we hold you entirely responsible, but it started within your own world, and specifically, in your family's blood. Somehow you hold the key to solving this riddle."

I turned to Alice angrily. "You don't really believe this nonsense, do you?"

She sat up, startled at my question. "Oh! Well...not completely, I guess," she stuttered. "But it does kind of make sense if you think about it."

I lifted my eyebrows at her. "Seriously! Well, then what do you think, Charming?"

The swan avoided my gaze. "Well, as much I'd hate to say it, Alayna, I have to agree with your cousin."

I threw my hands up in the air bewildered. "Well, of course you would. You both always were _special _friends, and while I thought I had some, it appears I was wrong."

"How dare you!" Alice snapped angrily. "Who else do you have to talk to that won't judge you?"

"Oh, be quiet, Alice," I sighed, but she glared at me as she folded her arms against her chest.

"Ooh, trouble in the family," chuckled Melchior. "While I do like a good quarrel, I have a question." He observed the back of his hand and then rubbed his fingernails against his chest. "How far would you go to save the man you love so dearly?"

"My father?"

"Oh, well him too, of course."

I breathed in stiffly. "I would die for my father."

"I...didn't know you had a boyfriend now," said Alice.

"I don't." I glanced up at Melchior. "I never did." But he winked and grinned at me.

Marian eyes flickered between us briefly, but then she looked at me squarely as she took my hand. "Alayna, this is a request. Come with us. Help us to find out what is going on, so I can save my fiancé, and the king, and you can save your father."

I looked at all four of them, Marian, Melchior, Charming, and Alice, and watched how their faces stared back at me in earnest. But Alice's lips were pursed, and I could tell she was still annoyed at my comment, so I didn't look at her for long. "Before I make any decision, can I just say something?"

Marian nodded. "Please."

"I don't trust him," I said, pointing a finger at Melchior. His grin widened at this. "His demeanor, his appearance, everything about him suggests his company is to be avoided. The fact that he has some kind of ability in magic can't be any good either, and I'm sure there's a great deal about him that we don't know, and still more yet that I do not want to know. Who in their right mind chooses this guy to be their guide? Here's another thing: My father's dying and I don't know how long he will last. How can I leave him at a time like this when I'm the only person he has?"

Marian absorbed this information and breathed slowly. "In regards to your comments about Melchior, he can't be trusted. But neither can any of us, for this illness is spreading rapidly, and it can claim its next victim at any second. Already, each of us have felt the effects, especially him, for his use of power, once freely capable of use, has now been met with limitations, and continues to falter steadily."

I glanced at Melchior. "Then I'd say that's a good thing."

"Possibly, but that will reveal itself in time. The next thing I will say is that my choice in him has its many reasons, but I will not share them now. It is a matter between he and I, but if you can't trust anyone, trust your cousin. Trust Alice, for she has already agreed to join our company."

I turned sharply to look at Alice. "Is this true?"

She nodded. "Trust me, Alayna, I'm as nervous about this whole situation as you are, but I trust Robin Hood, and therefore I believe Marian when she says that there's an illness that's spreading. I want to stop it, and I want to make sure that it won't come back once it is. Besides," she looked down briefly, "I had a dream about all this. I dreamt that I saw Aslan and he told me that my faith was about to be tested."

"Aslan?" I whispered a little mournfully. "He spoke to you and not me?"

Alice removed her eyes from mine. "Don't be upset, Alayna. Aslan speaks to you too, just maybe not the way he does me."

"Then why haven't I heard him?"

She paused. "Have you been listening for him?"

I folded my arms across my chest offensively. "Of course, I have. So that's it? You just decided to come based off a dream?"

"Not entirely. I thought maybe...maybe this would give us an opportunity to go back. Back to Middle-earth."

I nodded doubtfully, but then remembered my book, and my face became concerned. "Melchior?" The man threw his gaze on me. "You can do magic...? So you can recognize it when you see it?"

"Naturally," he said.

"Then answer this for me." I pulled out my book and opened it. "Is this your doing?"

_Quickly fading into the stones and the shadows the grey-cloaked people of..._

He took the book and held it in his hands. Alice peered over his shoulder to look at the book in interest. "Oh my gosh," she said, snatching it and flipping through the pages. "Is this Lord of the Rings? What's happening to it?"

"It's disappearing," I whispered. "Melchior, please tell me this is your doing."

"I'll tell you if you answer me one question." I watched as Alice continued to turn the pages frantically before nodding at Melchior. "This is not the work of any magician, but rather above it. This is the result of a world in reverse, a world facing destruction. Now that you believe, are you ready for another adventure?" He tossed me a long object and I caught it surprisingly with ease. It was a sword, and I unsheathed it, studying the blade cautiously. "Are you ready to return to innocence?"

I took a deep breath and then sighed. "When do we start?"

The warty man smiled deviously as Alice return to the page that I had opened to. Only the words 'quickly fading' were left from what was previously there.

* * *

I fastened both the sword and my grandfather's knife on the belt that hung about my waist. Marian had given it to me, saying that it no longer fit her and that I was welcome to borrow it for our journey. But she was nearly my size, maybe a little bit bigger around the waist, but that was most likely because I wasn't eating properly. The last decent meal I had was probably two evenings before, when my mom practically force fed me.

I unsheathed the sword to examine the blade. I wasn't sure if I could even remember how to handle one; it had been so long since I last held one, and I could vaguely hear Robin's voice pointing out my improper stance and raised shoulders. I smiled to myself and felt a warmth rise in my cheeks. If anything else, it would be wonderful to see him again, even if he did belong to someone else now. My smile quickly faded and I sheathed the sword again, only to see Charming looking up at me. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"What's up?" I asked.

"You do know that I consider you a friend, don't you?"

I grimaced and unclasped my belt to set it beside the pack Marian had readied for me. "Oh. This is about that comment I made earlier, isn't it? Well, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it really. It's just so much has happened since I came from Chicago, and suddenly there's all this weight on my shoulders, and I'm not sure how to deal with it. You understand?"

The swan nodded. "I do, but you have to understand, too, that this weight which you speak of is not yours to bear alone. We all have had our share of trials these last few months, and we all are paying the price. It is now in which we must stick together and unite against the darkness that is coming."

I sighed and sat down next to the swan. "Let me ask you something, Charming. Do you really think we can pull this off?"

"Do I think so?" he chuckled. "No. It takes more than a blade and a spark of magic to break an illness that has covered the world. But do I believe? Absolutely, for what hope do we have without it?" I looked down, unsure whether I had much faith in belief anymore. "Don't worry. We will solve this, and we'll do it together."

Footsteps echoed through the tunnel as they entered the empty burrow I'd been sitting in. Both Charming and I looked up to see Alice carrying some pots and pans. She stopped when she caught a glimpse of me and quickly withdrew her gaze as she walked to her pack that lay just feet from mine.

"Get some sleep," whispered Charming. "We leave early."

He smiled at Alice reassuringly before leaving the two of us alone. Many awkward moments passed by with only the sound of Alice shoving her burden in her pack. Finally, I stood up, dusting myself off, and walked over to where she was bended over. I leaned against the wall of the cavern while she ignored my presence, now pretending to look busy, moving supplies around.

I cleared my throat. "Alice, uh..." She stopped and turned her head halfway to the sound of my voice. "Listen, I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I didn't mean it, I've just been so...cranky lately, and I foolishly took it out on you." She stood up and threw the pack around her shoulders, making adjustments to the straps as needed. "The truth is, you are a dear friend to me, probably the closest I have and will ever have... I just wanted to say I'm sorry... Oh, Alice, please talk to me! I promise I'm truly sorry! Please forgive me."

She whipped around and threw her arms around me tightly. "Of course, I forgive you, Alayna! How could I not? I'm just as lost and lonely without you as you are. And I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have snapped at you like I did."

"You had every right to, Alice. I would have snapped at me too. I'm such an idiot."

"No, you're not," she said, releasing me. "You may be insincere at times and speak harshly, but you're no idiot."

I chuckled, unsure whether she had meant it as a compliment. "Thanks."

"Now Mitch," she said, raising a finger, "is insincere _and _an idiot."

I snickered. "Amen, sister."

She smiled. "How's that coming along, by the way? Is he still a jerk?"

"Was there ever a time he wasn't?" I laughed and winked at her.

She bent down once more to fasten her pack and then sat against the course wall. I took a seat next to her and stretched my legs out in front of me.

"How's everything else going?" she asked. "I see you've become a ring-bearer."

I looked down and saw that the ring was peeking out from the collar of my shirt and I chuckled. "Oh, I guess I am sort of." I took it off from around my neck and fondled it in my hands. "You know, each day I thought of Middle-earth, and how wonderful it would be to go back there. I used to pray every night to Aslan that he would send me back, even if it was for five minutes." I shrugged. "One day, I stopped asking, and I haven't asked since."

"So you began carrying the ring instead," said Alice.

I stroked the smooth golden object carefully. "I figured if it can't go back, then at least I can carry a part of it with me."

Alice sighed, removing her gaze from the ring, and allowing her head to rest against the wall. "I think we'll go back. Could be Aslan was just waiting for the right time, and the right time is never when we want it to be."

I forced a smile but did not remove my eyes from the ring. Instead, I continued to caress it slowly, cradling it as if to protect it from falling. As I observed my trinket, a sadness rose within my heart, a hopeful longing that had long been distinguished. I breathed in sharply and looked at Alice. "I wish I were brave like you," I said softly.

She threw me a surprised look. "What do you mean? You are brave, Alayna."

I swallowed and exhaled as I traced the rim of the ring with my finger. "No, I'm not. It takes courage to have faith like yours and I have none."

"Sure you do. You may think you don't, but you do. It's just hidden right now and needs some help finding."

"What makes you so sure?"

She scooted herself closer and put an arm around my shoulders. "Because Aslan didn't call you a friend of lions for nothing."

I dropped the ring and lifted my head slightly, blinking. "What?"

"Friend of lions. That's what he called you." From the corner of my eye, Alice's smile slowly faded and her gaze at me turned to one of concern. "You do remember that Aslan gave us titles, don't you?"

My eyes wandered about the room as I searched through all my memories for that particular one, but I came up empty. I looked at Alice and forced a smile. "Don't be silly. Of course, I remember."

Her smile returned, though not as strong. "Don't scare me like that. Anyway, it takes bravery to stand up to Mitch, doesn't it?"

I laughed outright and patted her leg. "Good one. That it does. I suppose you're right, I just lack confidence these days." I yawned. It had grown considerably darker throughout the burrow and only the lantern kept complete darkness at bay. "It's getting late. I suppose we should get to bed if we plan on leaving with the others." I looked around. Melchior and Marian were still going over details on which road to take when I came here into the next tunnel over, and no doubt they were still arguing. I could tell I was not the only one suspicious with Melchior; I could see it in Marian's eyes and in her voice when she spoke to him.

"Where shall we sleep?" I asked Alice.

"I suppose here is as good as any place." She opened her pack and withdrew the blanket she'd stuffed previously and flapped it open. I put my pack next to hers and used it as a pillow when I laid down. Alice did the same, draping the blanket over the two of us. I again placed the chain around my neck and allowed it to cradle inside my open palm. Alice was watching me with interest and her brows furrowed.

"What?" I asked.

"Didn't that ring used to have elvish script on it?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, I think so. It probably wore off during our journey to Middle-earth, though."

"Hmm. Probably. Well, goodnight." She reached over and snuffed out the lantern, allowing the black of night to enter the room.

Only a few moments passed before I took a breath. "Alice?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm glad you're here."

In the darkness, I felt her smaller hand grope for my free one, and when she found it she gave it a squeeze. For the first time in five years, I would sleep peacefully, hand in hand with my little cousin.

* * *

A/N – I know it's been a long time and I'm sorry. I've been kept busy this last month and have had little time to write. I'm hoping the next chapter will be up in a short while. Until then, if you haven't seen the new hobbit trailer, you must check it out!

Next chapter: The quest begins.


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